In accordance with VDOT Road and Bridge Specification §107.16 (a), land disturbing activity that occurs within the VDOT right of way must be supervised by a certified Erosion and Sediment Control (ESC) Contractor who is required to be onsite at all times during that land disturbing activity.
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and VDOT had previously sponsored a cooperative training course for ESC Contractors. This training program was entitled DCR’s Erosion and Sediment Control Contractor Certificate of Completion (DCR’s Contractor Certificate) program.
While VDOT’s specification was satisfied by individuals who had received the former DCR Contractor Certification, DCR no longer administers this program.
The VDOT Erosion and Sediment Control Contractor Certification (ESCCC) Program was developed in order to improve upon and replace DCR’s former program. VDOT officially announced the development of the ESCCC Program on January 1, 2002. VDOT’s ESCCC Program has been underway since October 8, 2003.
The new 2024 General VPDES Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Construction Activities {CGP) includes a new qualification requirement regarding qualified personnel for projects with CGP coverage. Per 9VAC25-880-1, “Qualified Personnel” is defined as:
On or after July 1, 2025, “qualified personnel” shall hold an unexpired Dual Inspector certification issued by the department; an unexpired Inspector for Erosion and Sediment Control certification and an unexpired Inspector for Stormwater Management certification, both issued by the department; a Construction General Permit Qualified Personnel Certificate issued by the department or the Virginia Department of Transportation: or an equivalent certification provided by EPA (currently titled Construction Inspection Training Course).
In recognition of this, and in collaboration with partners over the past several months, VDOT has significantly revamped the former ESCCC content last updated around 2017 to include additional P2 information, ESC, SWM, new permit requirements, and a new exam to meet 9VAC25-880-1 in coordination with DEQ. This revamped training will lead to a new certification called the Erosion and Sediment Control Contractor Certification for Qualified Personnel (ESCCC-QP) that serves to satisfy the new Construction General Permit Qualified Personnel Certificate requirement of 9VAC25-880-1. Any existing and unexpired ESCCC certification will be valid until June 30, 2025, but beginning July 1, 2025 the Erosion and Sediment Control Contractor Certification for Qualified Personnel (ESCCC-QP) that VDOT has developed with VTCA, HRUHCA, RAMCA, HCCA will be required on VDOT projects with CGP coverage to meet the definition of “qualified personnel”. Therefore, anyone currently holding an ESCCC will need to acquire an ESCCC-QP by July 1, 2025 in order to meet the previous ESCCC requirement for VDOT projects and to sign the “Certified Contractor” signature block of the C-107 Part I document.
The Hampton Roads Utility and Heavy Contractors Association (HRUHCA), a Virginia professional heavy construction trade association, signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with VDOT in March of 2012 to administer and teach the ESCCC Program.
HRUHCA is currently one of only four associations who are authorized in the Commonwealth of Virginia to teach this class on behalf of VDOT.
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